The selection of proper healthcare device suppliers in sustainable organ transplantation networks has become an essential topic of increasing life expectancy. Assessment of sustainable healthcare device suppliers can be regarded as a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem that consists of multiple alternative solutions with sustainable criteria. For this reason, this paper proposes a new integrated MCDM model based on combining an extended vlsekriterijuska optimizacija i komoromisno resenje (E-VIKOR) and measurement alternatives and ranking according to the compromise solution (MARCOS) approaches under interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IVIFSs). The aggregating technique of the E-VIKOR method is a strong point of this method compared to the original approach. The IVIFS is taken to cope with the uncertain situation of real-world applications. In this regard, an IVIF-similarity measure is introduced to compute weights of the decision-makers (DMs). The IVIF-Shannon entropy method is utilized to calculate the criteria weights, and a new hybrid proposed model is developed by presenting the IVIF-E-VIKOR method and IVIF-MARCOS, to calculate the ranking of sustainable supplier alternatives in organ transplantation networks to supply the surgery devices. Afterward, an illustrative example is introduced to evaluate the performance of the proposed model, and a comparative analysis is presented to confirm and validate the proposed approach. Moreover, sensitivity analysis for essential parameters of the proposed model is performed to assess their effects on outcomes.

Coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an essential challenge to the health and safety of people, medical members, and treatment systems worldwide. Digital technologies (DTs) have been universally introduced to improve the treatment of patients during the pandemic. Nevertheless, only a few governments have been partly successful in executing the DT strategies. In this regard, it is critical to demonstrate a suitable strategy for the governments. This problem is built based on the experts' opinions with some conflicting criteria to evaluate various types of alternatives. Hence, this research presents a new multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model under uncertain conditions. For this reason, interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IVIFSs) are employed to help decision-makers (DMs) evaluate in a broader area and cope with uncertain information. Moreover, a new extended weighting method based on weighted distance-based approximation (WDBA) and a new combined ranking approach are proposed to determine the DMs’ weights and rank the alternatives under IVIF conditions. The developed weighting method is constructed based on computing the DMs’ weights with objective criteria weights. Furthermore, a new ranking approach is proposed by obtaining two ranking indexes separately: The first and second ranking indexes are calculated according to the positive and negative ideal solutions distances and the nature of criteria weights, respectively. Afterward, the final values of rankings are computed by considering a new aggregating procedure. The results of the proposed model represent the first alternative as the best strategy. Comparisons between the IVIF-TOPSIS and IVIF-VIKOR methods are also provided to investigate the proposed model to determine the rankings of main alternatives. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to check the reliability and the robustness of the model. For this purpose, criteria weights are analyzed to compute the dependencies’ degree of the new extended weighting method. The dependencies of the ranking model are discussed on the criteria weights as well.

No abstract

Infrastructure projects (IPs) face numerous challenges to reach the predefined aims over their life-cycle. There are many difficulties in projects because of the variety of elements in project’s tendency and the dependency of the project on mainly national factors. Due to these difficulties and their practices, the projects meet with uncertainty. In this paper, an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) is used at identifying ambiguity in IPs. Also, a new multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model is presented to evaluate and select the suitable alternative in IPs. Hence, a new IVIF-relative preference alternative-multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (IVIF-RPR-MABAC), and IVIF-weighted aggregated sum product assessment (IVIF-WASPAS) are proposed in order to obtain the weights of decision makers (DMs) and criteria, and a new IVIF-RPR-MABAC method is proposed to rank the alternatives. In this paper, a combination of the three mentioned approaches creates proposed new hybrid model to evaluate the main factors and the projects. Furthermore, a real case study is applied from the literature to validate the efficiency and performance of the proposed model. Afterward, a comparative analysis is presented to validate the proposed approach by comparing the hybrid proposed model with two IVIF-TOPSIS and IVIF-extended-VIKOR methods. The final results confirm the efficiency of the proposed model in ranking the main alternatives of an MCDM problem. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis is reported to determine the affection of parameters on the final weighting and ranking outcomes.

Background: Previous essays have presented possible concordance between obesity and colorectal polyp development. However, neither for the hypothesis nor for the details general consensus exists. This study aimed to evaluate the association between higher BMI rather than the normal and colorectal polyp presentation and characteristics if any. Methods: Eligible patients based on study criteria who were candidates for total colonoscopy examination enrolled in this case-controlled trial. Controls had normal colonoscopy reports. A positive colonoscopy for any kind of polyp was followed by a histopathological study. Demographic data also was registered, and patients were categorized according to the calculated BMI. Groups were matched by both gender and status of tobacco abuse. Finally, the outcomes of colonoscopy and histopathological studies were compared between groups. Results: A total of 141 and 125 persons investigated, respectively, as patients and controls. Possible effects of gender, tobacco abuse, and cigarette smoking were declined by participants matching. Hence, we found no significant difference between groups regarding the latter variables (P>0.05). Colorectal polyps were found absolutely more in BMI>25 kg/m−2 rather than in lesser values (P<0.001). However, there was no obvious difference in the incidence of colorectal polyps between groups categorized as overweight and obese (P>0.05). Namely, even weighing over could be the risk for colorectal polyp development. Additionally, it was more expected to find neoplastic adenomatous polyp(s) with high-graded dysplasia in BMI>25 kg/m−2 (P<0.001). Conclusion: Even little changes in BMI further than the normal values can independently increase the risk of developing dysplastic adenomatous colorectal polyp(s) significantly.

Choosing a proper construction project is a vital subject for entrepreneurs to reduce their costs. In real cases, vagueness and uncertain data drive decisions based on uncertainty. The intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) theory could assist decision-makers (DMs) in inscribing inadequate knowledge. Nevertheless, this paper provides a new integrated decision analysis model with IFSs. The suggested procedure includes a new decision flow under uncertain situations to define the significance of criteria. In this regard, the weighting of subjective DMs is required for this manner; the only input data needed are an alternative evaluation matrix. Then, a case study on sustainable energy project selection is explained to show the purpose of the suggested model. In this regard, four main criteria, technological, economic, social, and environmental, and seven alternatives from different kinds of energies are introduced to select the appropriate energy project. In this model, the weights of criteria are defined based on a new combined method based on two CRITIC and ideal points approaches. The proposed soft computing model computed the ranking of main alternatives by integrating the ARAS and EDAS approaches; the final outcomes indicate that the second alternative has higher values than other alternatives concerning nuclear energy. Afterward, sensitivity and comparative analyses are generated to determine the efficiency and validity of the proposed model. The sensitivity analysis changes the criteria weights. The comparative analysis compares the IF-TOPSIS method and the proposed model and computes the different degrees to confirm the efficiency of the introduced soft computing model.

This study introduces a new multi-criteria group decision-making model in organ transplant transportation networks under uncertain situations. A new combined weighting approach is presented to obtain expert weights with various kinds of opinions by integrating similarity measure and subjective judgments of experts. Also, the CRITIC approach is given to obtain transportation criteria weights. Finally, a novel integrated ranking approach is proposed to calculate the rank of each alternative based on ideal point solution and relative preference relation (RPR) methods. This study regards an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set to cope with the vagueness of uncertain conditions in a real case study.

In this article, plasmonic characteristics of SiO2-Ag and hollow core Ag nanoparticles placed on dielectric substrates are investigated and tuned to the NIR wavelength spectrum for biological applications. It is shown that by placing the core-shell Ag nanoparticles on a dielectric substrate and exciting the normal plasmon mode of the nanoparticle, it is possible to obtain strong plasmon resonances at wavelengths as long as λ = 700 nm which exhibits a red shift of more than 300 nm compared to the resonance of freestanding pure Ag nanoparticles at which normal plasmon resonance wavelength shows a sensitivity of approximately 100 nm/RIU in respect to the substrate refractive index change. “SiO2-Ag and hollow core Ag nanoparticles on silicon” are optimized to exhibit a strong normal plasmon resonance at λ = 633 nm while preserving the plasmonic field enhancement intact. Finally, a three dimensional substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is designed and numerically investigated. The substrate is composed of Si nanorod array decorated with the designed nanoparticles which exhibits superior characteristics such as a uniform and gapless field enhancement and an electromagnetic enhancement factor of more than 3 × 106, an order of magnitude higher than the enhancement factor for a similar structure decorated with Au nanoparticles.